Hey! I am doing this!  Yippee! I heartily suggest you do it too! Love this idea which Michelle Mach thought up!  I have been in one of her design challenges before and I had a total blast!

Her ideas are so refreshing and well thought out -- this will be a great way to welcome spring! Give yourself a boost of instant creativity by using this challenge as your launching pad!

Here is the information directly from Michelle's site:

 

 

Join the Suddenly Spring Challenge

Tuesday, January 24. 2012

If you want to buy your challenge kit right now before reading about it, go for it!

The Challenge Inspiration

Inspiration #1: Ready Made Jewelry

Every time I see a piece of inexpensive jewelry in a store, I think about how I would improve it. So, naturally, when I saw a pile of these pretty blue bracelets at a bead show last fall, I immediately started thinking about how I might take them apart and make something completely different with those same beads.

Inspiration #2: New Beaders

I also wanted to offer a challenge that would be easy enough for beginners, but challenging for more seasoned designers. Beginning with a finished piece of jewelry is a great first challenge. You don't have to start completely from scratch. Instead, you could start thinking about adding a few additional beads to alter the look of this one-strand bracelet. More advanced beaders might want to completely dismantle the bracelet to create necklaces, earrings, rings, and more sophisticated bracelet designs.

Inspiration # 3: Color

Yes, It's Blue Again . . .

I didn't mean to have two blue kits in a row, but this kit was an impulse purchase that I bought before I developed the snowflake kit. Plus, I'll confess—aquamarine is my birthstone, so I seem to be unnaturally attracted to that shade of blue!

. . . But Not for Long!

Your challenge is to turn this bracelet into a piece of spring jewelry. You might add flowers, leaves, birds, or other springtime symbols. You also might think about color. What colors could you add to move it from an icy, winter bracelet to a springtime piece?

Kits

There are 20 kits available. The cost for the kit and U.S. First Class shipping combined is $8.75. For most international locations, it will be $10.75 for the kit and shipping. (I only have a few international locations listed; let me know if I need to add yours.) I always mail the kits quickly, so you have the maximum time to work. Buy the kit now.

Please, only one kit per person.

Challenge Rules

• Blog Hop Reveal Date: The reveal will be March 13, 2012. This is after the Bead Soup Party on March 3rd, so I'm hoping it will be a quiet time to post. Feel free to blog about the challenge before then, but don't reveal your finished piece until that date.
  
• Your Own Blog: I strongly recommend that you have your own blog, but it's not an absolute requirement. The idea behind a blog hop is that everyone share the links to everyone else's designs and we hop around, visit, and comment on all the participating blogs on the designated date. It's always fascinating to see the different ways other people used the same beads!
  
• Spring Theme: Your jewelry or accessories design should represent spring. I'd especially love to see earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, hair jewelry, or anything wearable. Of course, if your muse demands that you make a beaded home decor item, you're still allowed to participate. It's best not to cross the muse!
  
• Number of Projects: Make one or more projects with your beads.
  
• Materials: Add any additional beads or subtract any beads you don't want to use. The finished piece is yours to keep, as usual.

I hope some of you will want to play in this new challenge! I have never done a challenge exactly like this one and I'm eager to see how it goes. As always, feel free to contact me if you have questions.

I truly am looking forward to this! --jean --hope to see you there!